Anti-Slavery Presentation at Booth Library

Luis Martinez, Entertainment Editor

The next presentation in Booth Library’s latest exhibition, “Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War,” focuses on the topic of the anti-slavery movement during the Civil War.

The presentation, “The Anti-Slavery Movement in Black and White,” will take place at 7 p.m. in the West Reading Room in Booth Library, and it takes a closer look at the role of the anti-slavery movement during the 19th century.

Jeanne Schultz Angel, an Illinois Humanities Council Road Scholar, will present all the information about the anti-slavery movement.

According to the brief synopsis written in the exhibition pamphlet, Illinois played a key role during the anti-slavery movement in the 19th century.

However, the presentation also takes a closer look at where the people in the state who were against slavery supportive of the Underground Railroad, or even racial equality.

The purpose of presentation is to help audience members understand the major differences between those who were anti-slavery and those labeled as “radical abolitionists” and realize how important the Underground Railroad was viewed in Illinois.

Audience members will also take a closer look at the history of the anti-slavery movement in Illinois and look at the criteria historians have established to determine fact from fiction.

The presentation program was made possible because of a grant from the Illinois Humanities Council.

After the anti-slavery movement, there will be a presentation titled “Meet Harriet Tubman,” which will be given at 8 p.m. in the same room.

The presentation will take a closer look at Harriet Tubman, the leader of the Underground Railroad conductor, and take a look at her life following the conclusion of the Civil War. While some people may know of her work for freedom and justice for slaves, they might not know much about her life after the war.

Both of the presentations are some of the last remaining presentation Booth has lined up for their Lincoln exhibition.

“The Anti-Slavery Movement in Black and White” is scheduled for Thursday at 7 p.m. in the West Reading room in Booth Library, followed by “Meet Harriet Tubman” at 8 p.m. in the same location. Both presentations are opened to the public.

Jeanne Schultz Angel could not be reached for comment.

 

Luis Martinez can be reached at 581-2812 or lpmartinez@eiu.edu